Royce West, Texas State Senator from 23th District (D) | https://www.keranews.org/politics/2019-07-22/state-sen-royce-west-enters-democratic-primary-to-challenge-john-cornyn
Royce West, Texas State Senator from 23th District (D) | https://www.keranews.org/politics/2019-07-22/state-sen-royce-west-enters-democratic-primary-to-challenge-john-cornyn
More specifically, the official text was summarized by the state legislature as ’’Relating to less-lethal force weapons, including a defense to prosecution for certain offenses involving the use of a less lethal force weapon by a peace officer, and policies for law enforcement agencies concerning use of less-lethal force weapons’’.
The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.
This bill addresses the use of less-lethal force weapons by law enforcement, providing a defense to prosecution for peace officers who use such weapons when it results in serious injury or death, provided the use complies with their training, agency policies, manufacturer's instructions, state law, and minimum standards set by the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement Education. It mandates that law enforcement agencies adopt policies for the use of less-lethal weapons and ensure their officers are trained in their use. Additionally, agencies must have at least one less-lethal force weapon and one bullet-resistant vest per on-duty officer. The act will apply to offenses committed on or after its effective date. If not effective immediately, it will take effect Sept. 1, 2025.
Royce West, member of the Senate Committee on Local Government and vice chair of the Senate Committee on Transportation, proposed another 67 bills during the 89(R) legislative session.
West graduated from the University of Texas at Arlington with a BA and again from University of Houston with an MA.
Royce West is currently serving in the Texas State Senate, representing the state's 23rd Senate district. He replaced previous state senator Eddie Bernice Johnson in 1993.
Bills in Texas go through a multi-step legislative process, including committee review, debates, and votes in both chambers before reaching a final decision. Each session, there are typically thousands of bills introduced, but only a portion successfully navigate the process to become law.
You can read more about the bills and other measures here.
| Bill Number | Date Introduced | Short Description |
|---|---|---|
| SB 1529 | 03/06/2025 | Relating to participation in a deferred retirement option plan by members of the retirement systems for police and fire fighters in certain municipalities |
| SB 1526 | 03/06/2025 | Relating to reimbursing certain Department of Family and Protective Services employees for certain legal expenses |
| SB 1417 | 03/06/2025 | Relating to compensatory time and vacation leave accrued by an employee of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice |
| SB 1416 | 03/06/2025 | Relating to the required approval of certain hospital visits as a condition of release on parole or to mandatory supervision for certain releasees and to the hospital's liability for damages resulting from those visits |
| SB 1402 | 03/06/2025 | Relating to group home registration with municipal police departments or county sheriff's departments and welfare checks on group home residents; providing a civil penalty |
| SB 1617 | 02/25/2025 | Relating to use and operation of the childcare protection and enhancement fund |
| SB 1083 | 02/24/2025 | Relating to the representation of an indigent person in certain criminal proceedings in certain counties |
| SB 1082 | 02/24/2025 | Relating to declination and nonrenewal of residential and personal automobile insurance policies based on previous claims |
| SB 1081 | 02/24/2025 | Relating to the regulation of art therapy, including the establishment of the Texas Art Therapy Board and the duties of the Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council; requiring an occupational license; creating a criminal offense; imposing a fee |
| SB 1078 | 02/24/2025 | Relating to certain searches of female inmates by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice |
| SB 1419 | 02/19/2025 | Relating to participation in the Texas Leadership Scholars Program |
| SB 940 | 02/13/2025 | Relating to allowing the board of trustees of certain school districts to create a nonvoting student trustee position on the board |
| SB 939 | 02/13/2025 | Relating to the members of a school district's local school health advisory council |
| SB 809 | 02/07/2025 | Relating to the carrying of a firearm by a person who is a member of a criminal street gang; increasing a criminal penalty |
| SB 808 | 02/07/2025 | Relating to the prosecution of the criminal offense of the possession, manufacture, transport, repair, or sale of a machine gun or a machine gun conversion device |
| SB 803 | 02/07/2025 | Relating to a hearing for an alleged violation of community supervision by a defendant and the manner in which that defendant is required to appear before the court |
| SB 699 | 02/03/2025 | Relating to the licensing and regulation of inpatient rehabilitation facilities; imposing fees; providing civil and administrative penalties; creating criminal offenses |
| SB 697 | 02/03/2025 | Relating to an annual report by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice on post-release or post-discharge employment and certain other inmate data |
| SB 696 | 02/03/2025 | Relating to limitations on the information reported by consumer reporting agencies |
| SB 695 | 02/03/2025 | Relating to requiring consumer reporting agencies to notify a consumer when inaccurate information in the consumer's file is corrected |
| SB 694 | 02/03/2025 | Relating to the dissemination by the Department of Public Safety of criminal history record information to consumer reporting agencies |
| SB 661 | 02/03/2025 | Relating to the creation of the Office of Youth Health and Safety |
| SB 655 | 02/03/2025 | Relating to prohibited student athlete name, image, and likeness agreements; providing injunctive relief and a civil penalty |
| SB 654 | 02/03/2025 | Relating to a franchise tax credit for certain child-care centers that increase their capacity to care for children |
| SB 653 | 02/03/2025 | Relating to a refund of sales and use taxes paid on the purchase or use of building materials used to construct certain subsidized housing |
| SB 652 | 02/03/2025 | Relating to the authority of the commissioners court of a county to adopt an exemption from ad valorem taxation by the county of a portion, expressed as a dollar amount, of the appraised value of an individual's residence homestead |
| SB 649 | 02/03/2025 | Relating to the permissible uses of the school safety allotment and the creation of a mental and behavioral health allotment under the Foundation School Program |
| SB 607 | 02/03/2025 | Relating to monetary assistance provided by the Department of Family and Protective Services to certain parental child safety placement caregivers |
| SB 606 | 02/03/2025 | Relating to requiring consumer reporting agencies to notify a consumer when inaccurate information in the consumer's file is corrected |
| SB 603 | 02/03/2025 | Relating to a landlord's authority to collect from a tenant certain late fees for nonpayment or late payment for a utility |
| SB 602 | 02/03/2025 | Relating to the Preparation for Adult Living Program and other services for foster children transitioning to independent living |
| SB 601 | 02/03/2025 | Relating to mail fees charged to tenants of certain residential properties |
| SB 598 | 02/03/2025 | Relating to the school safety allotment under the public school finance system |
| SB 597 | 02/03/2025 | Relating to the basic allotment and the guaranteed yield under the Foundation School Program |
| SB 595 | 02/03/2025 | Relating to the notice of rulemaking proceedings provided to certain persons by state agencies |
| SB 594 | 02/03/2025 | Relating to assistance with veterans benefits claims |
| SB 593 | 02/03/2025 | Relating to personal automobile or residential property insurance premium increases for claims subject to sovereign, governmental, or official immunity |
| SB 592 | 02/03/2025 | Relating to rules adopted and enforced by cemetery organizations on markers, memorials, and effigies; authorizing a civil penalty |
| SB 591 | 02/03/2025 | Relating to prohibitions in connection with certain sales of clothing on an Internet website or software application; providing a civil penalty |
| SB 590 | 02/03/2025 | Relating to the approval of a request for the revision of a charter for an open-enrollment charter school |
| SB 589 | 02/03/2025 | Relating to consideration of criminal history of applicants for public employment |
| SB 588 | 02/03/2025 | Relating to the appointment of the Department of Family and Protective Services and a child's parent or legal guardian as joint managing conservators for the child |
| SB 587 | 02/03/2025 | Relating to terms for members of the state executive committee of the University Interscholastic League |
| SB 585 | 02/03/2025 | Relating to the reporting of certain criminal history record information on a consumer report |
| SB 582 | 02/03/2025 | Relating to the disclosure of preliminary reports of certain special investigations conducted by the Texas Education Agency |
| SB 581 | 02/03/2025 | Relating to an exemption from certain requirements regarding diversity, equity, or inclusion initiatives for certain charitable funds at public institutions of higher education |
| SB 580 | 02/03/2025 | Relating to an exemption from certain requirements regarding diversity, equity, or inclusion initiatives for certain scholarly research or creative works at public institutions of higher education |
| SB 579 | 02/03/2025 | Relating to an exemption from certain requirements regarding diversity, equity, or inclusion initiatives for certain scholarships provided by public institutions of higher education |
| SB 577 | 02/03/2025 | Relating to the establishment of the foster child trust account program |
| SB 576 | 02/03/2025 | Relating to information made available to a relative or other designated caregiver |
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